


Pretty Cool

by orphan_account



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Confessions, Fireworks, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Implied/Referenced Anxiety, M/M, New Year's Eve, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:35:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22037158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Donghyuck and Jeno want Mark to go to a big New Year's Eve party with them, but Mark will much rather spend the evening by finally confessing to Jaemin.
Relationships: Mark Lee/Na Jaemin
Comments: 6
Kudos: 56





	Pretty Cool

“Mark, you can’t be serious!” Donghyuck whines.

“Yeah, what do you mean you’re not going?” Jeno asks, astonished.

Donghyuck and Jeno are standing on Mark’s doorsteps, ready to head to the biggest party in the town. Both of them are dressed nicely, their hairs are styled and there’s hints of eyeshadow sparkling on Donghyuck’s eyelids. 

Mark had opened the door, still dressed in his old sweatpants and hoodie, not planning on attending any parties.

“I mean just that. You’re going to have to do without me, because I’m not going”, Mark answers, smiling sweetly at the two of his friends.

Donghyuck huffs, “This is about Jaemin, isn’t it? He himself said that we should go even if he can’t since he’s ill!”

“I know”, Mark says, “But I don’t feel comfortable leaving him cooped up all alone in his home while everyone else is somewhere partying. I’m gonna go keep him company”

Jeno’s expression softens at that. Donghyuck on the other hand, is still not convinced,

“Gosh, you’re so whipped”, he complains.

Jeno swats Donghyuck’s arm, “Shut up and let him be”, then he turns to Mark again and smiles, “I get it. You guys have fun. And good luck”

A slight, pink hue appears on Mark’s cheeks, “Thanks. You guys have fun too”

“We will”, Jeno says smiling and then tugs the pouting Donghyuck into moving, “Come on, let’s head to the party”, they turn around and start walking away from Mark’s door.

“You’ll get it one day, when you’re in love with somebody”, Mark hears Jeno say to Donghyuck, just before he closes the front door. Mark shakes his head a little and smiles.

  
Mark doesn’t bother changing his clothes, he knows Jaemin couldn’t care less what he’s wearing. Mark throws on his jacket and beanie, and then steps out of the front door. The air outside is abnormally warm for December, the temperature still reaching above zero. 

Mark checks the time, and it’s couple hours before the year changes. He stops by at the small convenience store that’s open 24/7, even on New Year’s Eve. Mark buys some chips and soda, both in Jaemin’s favorite flavors. The cashier at the counter is surprisingly cheerful despite the fact that she has to work while everyone else is celebrating.

Mark heads towards Jaemin’s parent’s house. Just like Mark, the younger is spending the holidays home, away from the dingy college dorms where they have to live the rest of the year.

The walk isn’t long, and soon Mark knocks on the front door of Jaemin’s house.

Few short moments later, the younger opens the door. He, too, is wearing some loose, soft-looking clothes, and his hair is all messed up like he hadn’t brushed it at all today. He looks perfectly fine, not ill at all.

Mark’s knows Jaemin’s not ill. It’s just something he said to Jeno and Donghyuck to get out of going to the party. Mark has tried to encourage him to tell the real reason, they both know Donghyuck and Jeno would understand, but the younger just hasn’t been ready.

It took a great deal for Jaemin to even tell Mark about his anxiety. Mark can’t say that he wasn’t surprised. He had never really thought that someone so smiley, with so seemingly outgoing nature, could be dealing with anxiety. But it is a good reminder that anxiety, as well as other mental health problems, don’t ask permission from your appearance, personality or life situation.

Jaemin had told Mark that big crowds and lots of noise stress him out too much, and that’s why he couldn’t go to the New Year’s Eve party.

“Mark?” the younger asks, eyes blown wide when he realizes who’s standing behind the door, “What are you doing here?”

“I came to spend the New Year’s Eve with you”, Mark answers smiling.

“No... You are going to the party”, Jaemin says slowly.

“Change of plans”, actually it’s not a change of plans for Mark, he just didn't tell anyone about his plans.

Jaemin crosses his arms and leans against the frame of the door, “What if I don’t want you here?”, he tries to keep a poker face, but the playful mischief shines in his eyes.

“Well, then I guess I have to go home and eat all of these by myself”, Mark shrugs and lifts the chips and soda for Jaemin to see. As said, they are Jaemin’s favorites and Mark can see the recognition in the younger’s eyes.

“Okay, fine”, Jaemin says and moves from blocking the doorway, “You can come in, but only because I want those snacks"

“Of course”, Mark grins and steps inside. He hands the snacks to Jaemin, who doesn’t waste time opening the back of chips and stuffing his mouth with them.

“Are your parents home?” the older asks after taking his outdoor wear off.

“No”, Jaemin mumbles and then swallows the chips, “They went to my aunt’s wine tasting or something”

Mark nods, “What were you doing before I got here?”

“Oh, I was watching this one horror movie. I still have almost half of it to watch”, the younger tells as the boys head upstairs towards Jaemin’s room.

“Watching horror movies all alone.. What a weirdo”, Mark says under his breath, but deliberately loud enough for Jaemin to hear.

The younger turns around and swats Mark’s head lightly with his hand, “Coming here instead of going to the party of the year. What a weirdo”

They both laugh and then go to Jaemin’s room. The room is dark, save for the light that comes from the TV screen, where the movie has been paused. The occasional banging of the fireworks outside can be heard in the quiet house.

“You wanna finish that?” Mark asks, nudging his head towards the TV. 

“If you don’t mind. It was getting kinda exciting”, the younger answers.

Mark sits on Jaemin’s bed, “I don’t mind”, he smiles.

“Great!” Jaemin says happily and plops down on the bed, next to Mark, “You can hold my hand when you start getting too afraid”, he grins teasingly at the older, wiggling his fingers in front of Mark's face.

“Pfft, you wish”, Mark snorts amusedly.

“Maybe I do”, Jaemin says in passing, before clicking the movie into playing again.

Mark’s heart skips a beat. That kinds of remarks have been coming out of Jaemin’s mouth for quite a while now. First Mark was sure the younger was just saying them to mess with him, but as time has passed and the remarks have just become more regular, Mark has started to think that maybe, just maybe Jaemin might actually like him back. 

The boys watch the remaining of the movie. Mark doesn’t really know what is going on since he missed the half of it, but he doesn’t care. He’s enjoying just sitting next to Jaemin, their eyes glued to the screen and knees occasionally brushing against each other’s.

The banging of the fireworks is steadily becoming louder and more frequent as the clock keeps nearing midnight and the change of the year. The movie ends when the clock is fifteen to twelve. Jaemin jumps off the bed.

“We should go outside and watch the fireworks”, the younger says. Mark nods and he, too, gets off the bed. He stretches his now stiff limbs.

“Let’s go to the roof!” Jaemin then exclaims enthusiastically, “I’ll go get our jackets and shoes”, the younger is out of the room before Mark has time to say anything. Not that he would have opposed Jaemin’s proposition.

Mark casts his eyes towards the ceiling of Jaemin’s room. There’s a skylight window in it. Mark remembers how he used to be so jealous of it when they were younger. The boys have always used the skylight window as a passage to sneak onto the roof of the house.

In no time, Jaemin comes back with his arms full of shoes and jackets. Mark takes his own ones and puts them on. The younger does the same and then he moves to open the skylight window.

Now Mark is very happy about the fact that the temperature outside is above zero, because otherwise the roof would be icy. With some difficulty, the boys climb through the window and onto the roof. Neither of them is quite as agile anymore, as they were when they still were kids.

Almost all the people in the neighboring houses are shooting fireworks and the sky gets constantly decorated by the colorful splatter. The colors go from red to green and from yellow to violet, shimmering against the black nothingness. Jaemin and Mark definitely have the best spot to be watching the fireworks.

Jaemin checks the time from his phone, and Mark can see how there’s only few minutes before the year changes. The younger puts the phone back to his pocket and casts his gaze towards the sky. 

Instead of watching the fireworks directly, Mark finds himself watching how they reflect in Jaemin’s dark, twinkling eyes. 

“Why did you come here tonight?” Jaemin suddenly breaks the silence that’s been hanging upon them. His eyes now flicker between the sky and Mark.

“Because I really wanted to spend the New Year's Eve with you”, Mark answers honestly, “I didn’t want to go to the party because you weren’t going to be there”

Now Jaemin’s eyes lock with Mark’s. The younger really looks at him, like trying to figure something out or to convey a message through his gaze. 

_“Ten, nine, eight...”_

The boys can hear how all the people on the neighboring yards suddenly start chanting the count down. The year is about to change.

Mark leans a bit closer to Jaemin, while simultaneously carefully studying the younger’s eyes. He’s trying to find any hesitation or rejection in them. 

_“Seven, six, five...”_

Mark can’t find any. There is none. He notices how Jaemin leans closer too, just a bit. 

_“Four, three, two...”_

This is it. After all these years of self-doubt, hesitation and fear, Mark’s finally going to do it. Slowly, his eyes flutter close, as well as do Jaemin’s.

_“One! Happy New Year!”_

The kiss is soft and quick, just a careful press of shy lips. Then the boys break apart and turn their faces away from each other again. There’s a matching blush rising on the cold cheeks of both Mark and Jaemin.

“So...”, Jaemin is again the one breaking the silence after a moment, “A New Year’s kiss..?”

Mark's heart beats loudly few times, before he answers, “No, actually a ‘Jaemin I really, really like you and I want you to be my boyfriend’ kiss”

They stare at each other for a moment, before Jaemin turns his eyes at the sky again. But he isn’t able to hide the joyful, delighted smile on his lips from Mark, “Hmm, is that so?” the younger then muses. The splatter of fireworks is going off louder and more colorful than ever before. 

“Yep”, Mark says and grins. He hooks one of his legs with Jaemin’s that is resting against the sloping rooftop.

“I’d like that. Being your boyfriend that is”, Jaemin then says, turning his face back to grin at Mark again, “You’re pretty cool”

Mark lets out a laugh, “Pretty cool, huh? Do you always date guys that are just ‘pretty cool’?”

“Nah, I have never before, because I only know one. Pretty cool is a high standard of mine, just so you know”, Jaemin’s voice is playful, but completely sincere.

Mark’s grin softens to a shy, happy smile. He leans a bit closer to the younger again, “Well, you don’t need to look for other pretty cool guys anymore”, he then whispers, “Because I’m planning on being here for the long run”

Jaemin’s grin softens as well, getting replaced by a small but a content smile. His eyes are shining with happiness and with what Mark could describe as hope,

“I’m really counting on that”, the younger whispers.

Then he leans closer and plants another soft kiss on Mark’s lips.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, I hope that you liked it <3


End file.
